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翻跟頭

简翻跟头 · 繁翻跟頭

Mandarin · pinyin fān gēn tou

to turn a somersault

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Characters in this entry

翻: fān · flip over, upset, capsize
跟: gēn · heel; to follow, accompany; with
頭: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss
头: tóu · head; top; chief, first; boss

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

1–1–5 · fan1 gen1 tou5

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

翻跟頭 · find source passages ↗ · 翻跟头 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 3 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

faan1 gan1 tau4

Cantonese word readings for 翻跟頭. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

to somersault
(figuratively) to suffer a failure or setback
(figuratively) to engage in speculation

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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